FORT MCCOY, Wis. -- As many as 4,000 Soldiers and support personnel are at Fort McCoy participating in the Exportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) rotation, which began July 25 and runs through Aug. 16.
The Army National Guard's XCTC program provides participants with an experience similar to an Army combat training center (CTC) at home station or at a regional training center such as Fort McCoy. It also minimizes cost and time away from home and jobs for Guard personnel.

Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment Katherine Hammack (seated, right) is briefed by Fort McCoy staff and leadership Aug. 5 as part of a one-day visit to the Wisconsin installation.

Ten Congressional staff members who serve with representatives from Illinois, North Carolina, Florida and Oregon visited Fort McCoy, Wis., to learn more about the Army and military operations, overall.

Thanks to a partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SC DNR), researchers are safely catching sturgeon, inserting sonic transmitters inside them, and releasing them back into the river.

Patrick Kabuye, sports and fitness coordinator with U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach's Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, graduated earlier this summer from the Advanced Course of the Army Management Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Kabuye has since brough back his insight to improve USAG Ansbach.

Professionals from industries as diverse as deep water drilling to ornamental plant growing and health care recently shared ideas and insights during a unique educational opportunity at Tobyhanna Army Depot.

PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. - U.S. Army Maj. (Ret) Will Lyles was presented with a service dog during a ceremony here July 24. The Marine Cares Foundation presented 'Spartan' to Lyles during a banquet that followed the organization's 8th annual Lance Cpl. Christopher Cosgrove Memorial golf outing. Lyles lost both of his legs, sustained multiple wounds and burns after stepping on an IED during a deployment to Afghanistan. Cosgrove was assigned to Picatinny Arsenal's Marine Corps Reserve unit, Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Corps Regiment. Cosgrove was killed in October 2006 by a suicide car bomber at an entry control point in Fallujah, Iraq.

His jump rope whizzed loudly as it cut through the air, accompanied by the quick "snap, snap, snap!" each time it met the ground. Fading into a barely visible blur, the rope whizzed faster and louder as he picked up the tempo, skillfully keeping the quick rhythm with his feet.
"I don't go anywhere to lose," said Spc. John Hunt. "Never."
That mindset has helped Hunt earn an opportunity to compete at the All-Army boxing trials Sept. 25 at Fort Huachuca, Ariz. The slender-built ordnance specialist, assigned to A Company, 426th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, will report to the boxing trial camp Aug. 17 to train with other hopeful Soldier athletes.

Fort Huachuca, Arizona - The Army began awarding Army Instructor Badges this summer to bolster the standing of the NCO instructors who teach the courses in the Noncommissioned Officer Education System, according to Liston Bailey, chief of the Institute for Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Learning Innovations and Initiatives Division, in the May 6 edition of the NCO Journal.

Briyanna Martinez clutches her brand-new backpack with unmatched delight as she patiently waits on the Operation Homefront Tennessee/Kentucky office lawn on Hedgerow Court, July 31.
"It's pretty," said the 5 year old who entered kindergarten on post this week at Lincoln Elementary.
Briyanna was one of 1,000 military children within the local area to receive a backpack stuffed with free school supplies from the nonprofit program, which partnered again this year with Dollar Tree to provide back-to-school gear for the children of privates through staff sergeants, as well as Wounded Warriors. The program, known as the Back-to-School Brigade, is now in its eighth year nationwide.

PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. - "As recently as March of this year the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security (DPTMS) was staffed at 42 percent of its authorized strength," according to its director, Craig Cugini.

The Department of the Army has come out with new vetting requirements for individuals requesting access to military installations. Effective Aug. 15, visitors to Fort Campbell will no longer be granted access to the installation based on the scanning of their driver's license and will be required to adhere to new procedures.

Fort Huachuca, Arizona - The Main Post Chapel hosted the 239th Chaplain Corps Anniversary Aug. 1 with a ceremony in the sanctuary, a tour through the building and lunch in the activity room. Around 70 Soldiers, Civilians and Family members attended the fellowship event to learn more about the history and roles of Army chaplains and chaplain assistants.

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- No matter how the Army's restructuring program evolves in the years to come, there is one aviation program that is sure to continue its upward climb among Army combatant commanders and their Soldiers.

Five Soldiers with the 165th Infantry Brigade, participated in a military-to-military training engagement program in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which focused on military law, military medicine and basic military tactical intelligence.

The Army Public Health Command on July 31 released a report showing positive West Nile Virus (WNV) detections located in two military mosquito-trapping sites on the Fort McNair portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, which constitutes the first discovery of the virus on the installation in 2014.

A diverse collection of foliage representing American history is congregated along Arlington National Cemetery's Wilson and Farragut Drives. What continues to grow in multiple sections of the cemetery in the Kearny Monument area is a living history book of botany.

After undergoing major renovations in 2011, Building 249 on the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall has been awarded a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

The U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School on Fort Leonard Wood has received their re-accreditation through the International Fire Services Accreditation Congress in accordance to the 2013 National Fire Protection Association standards.

More than 75 agencies and organizations from Fort Jackson and the surrounding area took part in the annual Jackson Jubilee Aug. 1, 2014, at the Solomon Center. The community information event was designed to help Soldiers, employees and their families learn about the services available on and off post.

The 11th annual Fort Rucker Area Job Fair will be held Aug. 13 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Ozark Civic Center, and Soldiers are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity, even if their military separation is still more than a year away.

Army Substance Abuse Program, along with Rucker Lanes, hosted a resiliency bowl-a-thon Aug. 1 to help Soldiers and civilians connect with each other outside the office, which in the long term will help them stay resilient.

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. - The Baltimore Ravens honored local service members, veterans and their families Monday night during the team's annual Military Appreciation Night, which coincided with its open training camp at M&T Bank Stadium. Of the 28,000 fans who took advantage of the chance to watch their favorite NFL team in action for free, nearly 3,500 troops and their families received reserved end zone seating, special edition t-shirts, and an extended autograph signing session with players and coaches after the game.

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. - Norman "Jay" Bannon IV and Jason Schaffer of Aberdeen Proving Ground Fire and Emergency Services were among 200 firefighters from around the country who recently climbed 110 flights at the Hilton Baltimore to benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and honor the memory of victims of Sept. 11, 2001.

A U.S. Army Reserve center located on the Tennessee side of Fort Campbell, most of which is in Kentucky, was renamed on August 3, in a ceremony honoring Army Reserve Maj. Michael L. Mundell, who was killed in Fallujah, Iraq on January 5, 2007.

Fort Sill's Sgt. 1st Class Adrian Villareal, Senior Leaders Course (SLC) instructor, was one of seven Soldiers who became the first to receive the Army Instructor Badge during a recognition ceremony July 17 in Alexandria, Va.

FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- As the Army decreases in size and Soldiers and Families can expect longer dwell times, much of the service's operations will take place on American soil. In order to accommodate the Total Army Family that has experienced frequent deployments and a high operations tempo for the last 13 years, leaders realize the need to help ensure the battle-ready community can remain ready and resilient for potential future conflict.

FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- When it comes to the insider threat of suicide, an abundance of Army resources and programs on and off post make it nearly impossible to miss help for one's personal issues; yet some Soldiers still see no way out.

FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- If you haven't heard, the Army Career and Alumni Program, or ACAP, has been renamed "Soldier for Life: Transition Assistance Program" to help shift Soldier mindsets about transition services away from something required at the expiration of their term of service to a tool critical in their life's journey.

FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- There's a saying that the Army is only as strong as its people. Taking care of Army personnel means providing for their needs -- physically, mentally and emotionally. In the event that any individuals become a victim of sexual harassment or assault, it is important that they receive assistance in a timely manner and within a safe and private setting.

The 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment conducted a Motorcycle Safety Ride Aug. 1.
The ride started at the Motorcycle Training Range for inspections and riding drills before heading to Victorville, Calif. This allowed mentors to assess each motorcycle for street legality, its mechanical integrity, and the competency of the riders.

Setting the tone for the school year
Soldiers, families accompany children on first day of school at Fort Irwin
On a cool, summer morning children and parents traveled the sidewalks and drove the streets of Fort Irwin as they headed back to school, Aug. 7.
Just a few days before training for a new rotation begins, Soldiers and spouses accompanied their young students to Lewis Elementary School, Fort Irwin Middle School, and Tiefort View Intermediate School; high school students were transported by bus to Silver Valley High in Yermo, Calif.

The importance of those who perform logistics cannot be overstated. From the days of Alexander the Great to General Patton's Red Ball Express to the motor pool operation at Watervliet, logisticians' place in the annuals of history books is well documented.

FORT BENNING, Ga. (August 6, 2014) -- Twelve employees from across the Directorate of Training and Development have embarked on a mission to earn their green belts, not in a form of martial arts but rather the Lean Six Sigma process.

FORT BENNING, Ga. (August 6, 2014) -- Army basic combat training is a nine-week program that takes individual civilians and turns them into a team of one - Soldiers. Basic training comprises three phases: red, white and blue.

Governors from throughout the United States are honoring World War II Merrill's Marauders on the 70th anniversary of their unit disbanding by proclaiming Aug. 10 as National World War II Merrill's Marauder Day.

A revolutionary approach to interviewing sexual assault victims, created by a Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, researcher, is obtaining more information about crimes -- potentially leading to more offender prosecutions.

The command team from 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade hosted a series of town hall meetings which engaged all subordinate units in the brigade July 25-29 on Hunter Army Airfield.
A total of six town hall meetings were conducted during the five-day period which gave Soldiers from each battalion in the brigade a chance to speak freely about any problems they were having in an open forum. The meetings were two hours in length, which gave the Falcon Brigade Soldiers a 12 hour window to voice their concerns.

Neatly tucked away amid the greenery of the Baumholder golf course, sits the only Army Aquatics facility in all of Germany or as Aquatics Manager Kimberly Bailes calls it, one of Baumholder's "best kept secrets."

In a Change of Command ceremony at Faneuil Hall in Boston, Mass., District Commander Col. Charles P. Samaris passed the command flag, signifying change of command authority of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in New England, to new District Commander Col. Christopher J. Barron on July 31, 2014. Presiding over the ceremony was Brig. Gen. Kent D. Savre, Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, North Atlantic Division.

Something beautiful is happening at Hopkinton-Everett Lake. Amidst the lush greenery and beautiful postcard perfect scenes, a community garden is growing; a garden blooming with delicious, seasonal vegetables lovingly tended by the Henniker and Hopkinton Lions Clubs of New Hampshire. The true beauty of this community garden isn't the array of colors of the vegetables that are springing forth from the soil, but the fact that the garden provides food for many local disadvantaged people.

The Broad Meadows Marsh in Quincy, Massachusetts is another recent success in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' aquatic habitat restoration. Wendy Gendron, NAE Planning Study Manager, has been coordinating with the adjacent middle school to foster educational opportunities.

Senior Army Leaders have proclaimed August Antiterrorism Awareness Month. With the slogan "see something, say something," its intent is to increase understanding and vigilance throughout the community while emphasizing the importance of suspicious activity reporting.

Across the country, the Army's best athletes are preparing themselves for their respective trial camps, hoping to secure spots on the rosters of this year's Morale, Welfare and Recreation All Army Sports teams and compete in the Armed Forces tournaments. Among the camps scheduled to begin next month are men's rugby and women's softball -- and once again, two of Fort Campbell's finest will be in attendance.

Campbell Crossing is encouraging on-post residents to hit the streets and come out to the annual National Night Out celebration at the Village Commons at Hammond Heights.
The nationwide event will be held on post from 4 until 7 p.m., Aug. 5, and focuses on promoting crime prevention programs as well as strengthening partnerships between police organizations and the local community. As such, representatives from the Fort Campbell Police Department, as well as other local law enforcement agencies from outside the installation, will be on hand to do demonstrations and provide valuable services in one central location.

Description:
Pencils and papers. Markers and glue. The time has come to go back to school.
The Tennessee and Kentucky chapter of Operation Homefront is trying to make the new school year easier on some military Families at Fort Campbell. Today, the nonprofit organization is giving away 1,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to pre-registered active duty Families staff sergeant and below at their headquarters inside Gate 7 during the Back-to-School Brigade program.

Students in the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Bluffton High School in Bluffton, South Carolina, visited Fort Stewart, July 29, to get a glimpse at soldier life, and encountered a Gold Star Family of a soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice.

CAMP HUMPHREYS -- In an effort to provide Camp Humphreys' youth with activities that will get them outdoors, running around and honing their athletic skills, CYSS Youth Sports has been providing different weekly sports clinics for children of all ages. A baseball/softball camp, from July 14-18, started the season and was followed by volleyball, flag football, basketball and concludes with soccer. Raina Goodlow, the Humphreys Youth Sports director, said the clinics have garnered a lot of positive responses in the last couple of years, so they decided to keep the program running. Even though each clinic is only five days, those are days the children are not spending playing video games. The emphasis during the clinics is fitness and fun. Anyone who would like to help out with future clinics or volunteer with Youth Sports, should contact Goodlow at 753-5612. -- U.S. Army photos by Daiquan Wilson

As part of the U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys' ongoing Good Neighbor Program and substance abuse prevention initiatives, garrison leadership invited off-post business owners and service personnel to take part in a two hour ServeSafe Alcohol Training Program, in Alaska Mining Company, July 14.
The training was specifically designed to help foster a safe off-post entertainment environment to strengthen the overall fitness and effectiveness of the Soldiers and civilians stationed here.

CAMP HUMPHREYS -- The fifth iteration of the Korean-American Children Joint Summer School, a free program for elementary school age children living here and at Osan Air Base -- along with about 100 Pyeongtaek-area children -- was held July 22-25, at the Paengseong International Community Center. The program is hosted by Pyeongtaek City and Gyeonggi Province and organized by the Pyeongtaek Cultural Center. Participants spent four days together, exploring both Korean and American culture. The students participated in various activities during the first three days, including traditional cultural experience classes (Korean paper-making, wood craft, natural dyeing and beads craft, pop dance class, cooking class and fan drawing/design). On the final day, after spending most of it on Camp Humphreys visiting M.P. Hill Fitness Center and eating lunch at Talon Café, the children went back to the community center for a buffet dinner party and to present some of what they learned to their parents before the graduation ceremony. -- U.S. Army photos by William Kim, Helena Kim, Kate Ko and Min Kwon